69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

before i get started i want to let everyone know that wants to maybe say some bad things about the way im doing this truck, since people do love these things and so do i.... i dont have the time or resources to do a truck completely right (welding in new sheet metal in bad spots, etc), im pressed for time since this is basically to put some money in my pocket and fund the truck i really want (64 short stepside for the wife) when i get back home. and a 66 nova ss for me. im selling to a specific demographic here (younger kids who are in the military, just moving to the island, looking for a sweet ride and something to blow their paycheck on..happens all the time)

after deciding that i wanted to get some practice on some older cars before i move back home and find the one i want to build, i found this 69 fleetside for 2,000 here in honolulu, already had a 350 with edelbrock performer intake mani, edelbrock 600cfm carb, hedman headers, and msd ignition, recently rebuilt and powers through a th350 auto trans. the truck runs smooth as glass, sounds awesome, doesnt have a single leak out of any hose, no vacuum problems, and the underside frame is literally in perfect condition, no deterioration in the frame at all.

the body is also in very nice condition for the area it was in and what it was being used for (bought it from a nice local guy that owned and worked in a cemetary here, and used the truck to haul dirt back and forth).

when i got the truck i took some starter pics, so here it is, the major areas that need work are the driver and passenger running boards, the front right fender, and the top of the inside of the cabin where the visors are at (common areas).

this is my first restoration, real bodywork/bondo car, paint job, and a first for a lot of things so we will see how it goes, my plan is to spend 2500 only on the truck , and resell for around 12 when it looks complete enough to put on the market down here.

List of parts i already bought for the truck, and money already spent.

New DS and PS runners (below the door) - came with the truck
Weather strip set (all of it) - came with the truck
Dash grate for where the dash meets the window - came with the truck
new knobs - came with the truck
New tailgate
new gauge bezel and lenses
overhead vinyl cover
new cabin light
6" drop springs for the rear (cutting front)
cherry bomb glass packs
new chrome door sill plates

also i have a friend here who does alot of his own work and recently sold his 70 rs camaro and had alot of leftover parts not used, so i got from him

Flame thrower Distributor
chrome 100 amp alternator
750 cfm holley carb

so heres the pics

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0852.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0854.jpg
interior is in great shape as well, no rust inside except for the overhead area, going to put in a new stereo and replace the AC unit with a tri-gauge autometer setup to get some extra gauge in theres that dont come stock. and replace the vents with small tweeters. truck has perfect glass all around as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0855.jpg
heres that trouble spot, planning on removing all the rust, getting it set clean, primering over to prevent further rust and then using fiberglass resin and cloth to form a new overhead area, then ill be covering with a black cabin felt

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0856.jpg
all the hardware inside the truck works great, windows are good, the triangle windows are working, the wipers and lights all work

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0857.jpg
its on the 15x8's and ill keep them on it and take off the chrome parts, get them powdercoated black or paint them black myself, then put the chrome parts back on them. the side of the truck is in good shape as well, minor rust spots minus under the doors.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0858.jpg
already purchased a new tailgate to replace this one, i dont need the extra hassle of opening a tailgate to replace internal movie parts or trying to tear it apart to smash it back into shape, easier to just spend 100 and get a new one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0859.jpg
like i said, the guy used it as a dump truck in the graveyard, fitting place for a truck going under huh? the bed has since been cleaned out and has too much dent and rust damage on the bottom of the bed to be used, so ill either be replacing with a wood bed, or finding a bed liner after removing the rust and resealing it with primer and paint.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0860.jpg
drip rails need work but the damage doesnt go all the way through to the cabin as far as i can see, it may have soaked through enough to cause damage inside the cabin as seen before, but im planning on doing my best to salvage what i can, and remove all the surface rust then filling in with lead body filler to create a lip around the cabin that looks like it belongs, shaving will be too much work for the amount of time i can spend on this truck

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0907.jpg
engine bay is in great shape as well, just needs tlc and some spit shining.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0908.jpg
like stated before, completely rebuilt, with the listed mods before to the engine, it just needs a new dist cap since its showing its wear, and some performance tuning (mechanical advance to be put on with the new dist)

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

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OK! updates on the first post because i am lazy and didnt get this post up when i first got the truck, but alot of body work is complete after only 2 weeks of on and off time working on the truck.. i have to drive it to an auto port where you rent a stall/lift and use their area to do the work since i live in an apartment here on the island, good thing the autoport has lifts, tools, air tools, and everything you need.. even a paint booth, sand blaster, welding machines, pretty much anything to rebuild an entire car! for 2 dollars an hour hah.

so i ended up shaving the antenna off the truck as part of some of the first body work because i dont plan on having a radio like that in it, just a cd player with internal antenna, and decent sound system (as i said before, trying to sell to a certain crowd).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/100_0911.jpg

alot of other bodywork was done on the left and right side, and ill be posting updated pictures of those when i remember to get them off my camera. but the next thing done was i change the exhaust on the truck, it HAD a flowmaster exhaust system on it, and the system looked fairly new, but i cant stand a quiet v-8, the sound of the car is just as important as the appearance to me, so i went ahead and put on 2 2.5" 30"-long cherry bomb glass packs and have the exhaust routed out the side of truck on both sides. the truck sounds great now, and theres no question to whats under the hood when people hear it, and its definately not too loud as i tested the sound difference with and without the cherry bombs... big difference that a glass pack makes too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...evy/img057.jpg


more updates as more time gets put in.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Looks like it could be a good starter. So to make sure of your plans what you want to do is clean it up, repair what you can and just hide the rest. Than try pray on some guy who is protecting our country and screw him out of $12K! Yep I am sure you will get a great response from this site:waah:

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

:agree:... not the best crowd to tell that's you're going to piece this truck together and then sell it. That's what the majority of the members have, hack jobs by PO's.

Welcome to the board from Mid-MO, but do the right thing and spend the extra money, and you will receive it in return.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

I was thinking the exact thing Kevin. :josh:

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

I was like what..... If you cant do it right, it's not worth doing it at all.....

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

:agree::agree::agree:

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

I can't say it would bother me if you were doing it for your self. But hiding problems under fiberglass and vinyl to sell a truck for the same money as a cleanly built one doesn't sit well with me. Maybe because I'm part of that "certain crowd" repairing a doctored up hack job.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

ok well maybe i didnt explain it good enough, im not hiding rust, or anything like that, im removing all rust, doing a good patch job, but i dont have the time or skills to replace everything with new sheet metal, which is where the fiberglass stuff comes into play.. and lots of body panels are either repaired with or replaced wholly with fiberglass, am i wrong?

but the truck wont be "pieced" together, its already a nice truck as is, and as i stated i already have A LOT of NEW parts to install on it.... this is my first chance to do real bodywork on an older car, im mainly an engine and performance person so im using this as a learning experience with it.

but no, im not trying to dupe anyone into buying a truck that is a pos or anything like that. im building it up to look nice and sell to the people i know will want it down here.... if i wanted to sell it to someone who collects classics i would keep it around stock ride height, paint it the traditional two tone or green....... not lower it and use black and orange....

im sorry everyone is misreading what i put up, but i hope that everyone can understand to each his own is a term used best when talking about cars.

but just for one more times sake, no, this isnt a hide the rust, dont tell them the problems, dupe some kid truck.... read the post one more time and look how much work and parts is going into it...

thanks everyone and i hope that i can be some kind of help to the board later on when i get a garage of my own and tools i need to work on my next truck properly.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

My take is it is your truck, do what you want with it. It's hard to make a profit on these trucks (I never have ...) but you can repair them without doing a full resto. Make it safe and reliable and you are ahead of the game.

I think there's a big difference in doing it cost effectively and doing shoddy work...

Good luck, Rg

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Well put...

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

thank you for the positive post, and i hope others can understand that not everyone has access to a 2 car garage, 12 hours of work on off days or more, and lots of access to parts or junk yards for scrap....

here in hawaii, everyone is on a order it only basis (shipping costs a ton), and im in the military so off time is a rare thing. ill still post pics of the progress regarless, and maybe the others will understand that its not "shoddy" work or bad patch jobs, its just a matter of materials and time that come into play, plus im married and cost of living is tough here so i need to keep costs down, i didnt see anyone flaming another guy who only wanted to spend 5500 on a full resto for his build....

thanks though

Ian

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

To be completely honest....Fiberglass and old rust dont mix...just leads to lot bigger problems.If you have access to a welder the rest isnt gonna take to much time to resolve...they make a patch for that lip above the windshield and the rest is an easy peice to make from a small piece of sheetmetal...I know first hand what filling that spot on the roof with fiberglass does befause the ass jack before I owned it did it to mine....My drip rails are completely rusted away as well as part of the roof...Like said before if you aint gonna do it right...just leave it alone till you can,sell it to someone and buy something less rusty..classics are just that and its to nice to rig up for a quick profit to some poor dude who isnt suspecting it to be like that....Just my two cents

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

The hobby shop on base is a big help, I "rebuilt" a '40 Plymouth coupe at the hobby shop in Little Creek. Talk about substandard work!:rolleyes: I have learned a little since those days...

Good luck, Rg

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

i still dont think your hearing what i was doing.... removing the rust.... if theres no more rust and its sealed up its not going to continue rusting away...

maybe i should just close this thread if people are so closed minded that they think that there is only 1 way to restore a car.. what if i were to take off all the bodypanels and make fiberglass replacements out of all of them, would i get flamed for that? and why would i get flamed for using fiberglass patching in areas that dont get any physical contact with anything besides a hand reaching for a visor... and patching an area that has been rusted away with fiberglass resin and cloth is a good way to do a patch, its in no way a way to do shotty work... only if th eperson putting the patch on doesnt do it right or doesnt take their time..

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

KRACIN, i think the problem that people are having id how you are wording what you are intending to do, quote "...and why would i get flamed for using fiberglass patching in areas that dont get any physical contact with anything besides a hand reaching for a visor... and patching an area that has been rusted away with fiberglass resin and cloth..." if you read your post again you can see where people are having issue with what you are doing. The main thing is that people on this board have all been burned by PO in one way or another and just want to make sure that doesnt happen to other hobbyist looking for a truck, just find find hidden problems. I know form personal experience what fiberglass repairs in rusted areas lead too, alot of problems and more rust. But the bottom line is that most members on here, from what ive seen, do not use fiberglass to repair metal panels when replacing with metal patch panels is just about the same amount of work in the end.
Hopefully you can understand what everyone is saying.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

ok, i understand, but its never a good thing to post on something assuming the worst, they might as well save comments until something happens. i dont get why they would call a hole repaired with fiberglass, a hidden problem.... its a legitemate patch and easier for someone that cannot weld or doesnt have access to a welder and is on a budget and cant pay someone to do it for them.

please tell me eastwood is advertising wrong for their fiberglass repair stuff..http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT.. that was just a quick search, but just like it was said before, its about HOW the repair is done, not what it was done with.

i myself have seen people who weld in new panels in all kinds of places, and do such a ****ty job with the welds and sealing it and grinding it down, that you can see where they put the patch in and it starts rusting and chipping in a matter of months.

ill stop threadjacking my own thread, and let my work do the talking for me so the others can be put at ease once the project starts coming together.

thanks for all the positive (and negative) replies, criticism is criticism right?

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

These guys love these old trucks. Do it right and they'll stand up and applaud you. Heck, they'll be thrilled with you if you make some money. They just wanna see you do it right, and believe me they know what "doing it right" means. Just read through some of these build threads. Good luck with the truck buddy and thanks for serving our country.

P.S. I spent alot of time in those garages on base when I was in the military. I would like to have something like that out here in the civilian world.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Think about it, if it does not get anything but a hand touching it then why are you having to fix it? You have to fix it because it is rusted right? Then that tells me it is getting more than just a hand! Well if you glass it up it will just rust faster the next time. I am done until I see what and how you are going to fix things. I for one have probably done more rust repair on these trucks then most out their and see what bad metal welded patches and even good fiberglass patches turn into to very soon after the repair is done. It has never been a good fix in my book.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Wow!! This is a touchy subject. KRACIN, I understand your dilemma with not having the proper tools (hopefully the hobby shop on base can help you out with that). The problem with the fiberglass repair is that it won't last and most of the guys on here have had to deal with them at some time or another. AND they usually make the initial problem worse depending on how well they are done. If you still want to use fiberglass, take lots of pictures of the repair and show them to perspective buyers, at least that way you can say you made full disclosure, (there's something to be said for being able to sleep at night, :D).

I would like to say this too, buyers need to ask more questions and do more research. Don't get over anxious just because you see something that has shiny paint and nice wheels. If you want to see how well a truck is built, you need to get underneath it. In my experience, that's where people skimp or cut corners. Last but not least, ask for some before pictures. Usually, anyone doing a quality restoration will have plenty of pictures to show you. If they don't BUYER BEWARE....

R/

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Kracin, the quotes above are the ones that bothered me(I see you took out the part about prying eyes thinking there are other problems after the part about the cabin felt.) Sorry if it seems like some of us are coming down on you but if you look above you can see how it looks from our perspective. Selling a truck that hasn't been done completely right for 12,000.00 to
younger kids who are in the military, just moving to the island, looking for a sweet ride and something to blow their paycheck on. I just hope that you disclose to the buyer how the truck was repaired so they are aware of what they're getting. Please, don't close your thread, or feel un-welcome here. We all voice our opinions and even though sometimes we disagree we're all welcome here. I just wanted to let you know where I'm coming from. I'm interested to see how this truck comes together, as I'm sure others are too:D

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

i have a question, why would you take off flowmasters and install glasspacks? that's just wrong!

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

I'm getting ready to do a few minor rust repairs. After reading this thread, I would like to add my uneducated thoughts. I have looked at all of Rokcrln's threads and I am confident that he knows his stuff when it comes to rust repair. I will be looking back at his threads for advice and guidence. I dont plan on selling my truck, but I don't want to build it over again either. Kracin, your doing the right thing by posting a thread and seeking advice. I dont know your background or experience with vehicles, but there is members here that have a ton of experience. If you want to see a low budget build done right, check out rokcrln's "low buck" build thread.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Since your basically putting it out there that this is for sale when it's done it's only fair to say:


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Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

I don't see where he offered it for sale on the board. He said he was going to sell it in Hawaii as far as I can tell.

If I had gotten ripped like this when I first came to the board I would have never come back... You guys can't honestly say that you have never done repairs in the past that you would not do now. Heck, I've had my days of fiberglass patching (as a matter of fact, I can take a pic of the '64 Chevy truck I sold years ago that I repaired the fenders with fiberglass at least 15 years ago, and they still look good.) I wouldn't do it now, but some people do... and at the time reproduction parts were hard to come by.

The only negative statements I will ever make is if I see a safety issue (believe me, there's more to get angry about on the suspension forum than there is in this thread...)

As far as selling it, I don't have a clue what these go for in Hawaii, but I'll bet it's more than they go for in Texas or Kentucky...

Good luck, Rg

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Meh, everyone should have to play by the same rules. It clearly states "build and sell" in the thread title. If the OP hadn't posted what everyone considers to be questionable repairs, there would already be posts with offers and "PM sent" and such. Until he's a suscribing member, this thread should be locked.

There have been many "why can this person post wtb or wiw" or whatever... fair is fair.

Kracin, it's well worth the $25.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

lol, no where did i say i was going to ship the truck to anyone, i said i planned on putting it in the lot on base... if you can find someone that works on hickam air force base hawaii that has been visiting this thread.. then thats a barely/maybe, but i didnt put the words FOR SALE anywhere in the thread or title, thank you.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

hah im sorry man, flowmasters do sound great on some cars, i actually run one on my 89 cressida thats making over 450 hp on an inline 6, and it sounds phenominal. but the flowmasters that were on thruck werent very audible, and even at full throttle, they didnt sound right, like it was too muffled, even for flowmasters.... so i thought id go for a more oldschool thing, and go with glasspacks, and let me tell you, they definately arent too loud being as they are 30" long each, and still give you that great sound like straight pipes but without causing every cop to turn his head toward your truck.

just my preference though

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Hey Kracin, what do you do at Hickam? My brother-in-law is some kind of electrician? there.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

maybe he wants to buy a truck? :lol:

guys I do not see where everyone is whining about flaming... I do not see anyone being ugly or acting like you see on other sites..

kracin, you pretty much posted that you were going to splice together a truck n sell it to a young kid. That will not set well with most folks.
I understand what you say your intentions are, but rereading posts before clicking the post button will eliminate most issues you are having :)

as far as for sale, it is mentioned in here etc, which many have used as loopholes before to sell. Thats why folks bring it to your attention.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

i've heard some glasspacks sound okay, but around here (mo) most of the
rednecks have them ran out under the bumper with echo tips and constantly
rack them off, pretty annoying. my first truck was a 67 longbed with a big
block and had 30" packs dumped under the cad, sounded pretty good.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

hey, CS2 in the navy on pearl harbor, we are connected to hickam, stationed on the uss hopper right now.


also, like i said before, i only said i planned on selling to a younger person because of the way im building it, if i wanted to sell to an older guy or someone who was a kid when the trucks were new, id would have kept it stock ride height and a more stock color etc etc, instead of changing so many things around on it lol. not trying to DUPE anyone, with the amount of work going into it and time invested and money, its well worth the amount i want out of it, already received the springs and some other parts and have another 1200 in parts arriving in the next week. thanks all

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

The problem is that fiberglass IS NOT a legitimate patch. It is a temporary fix, and it is definitely a hidden problem if the buyer is unaware of it. This is from over 15 years of experience with bodywork. This is your first project as you said, and I don't care what Eastwood sells, fiberglass doesn't stay there long without actually causing further rusting issues, even if you cut the rust out. Been there, done it, and had to fix it again later. Doing something unknowingly or just to get by for yourself is one thing, but doing something like that to put off on someone else something that all of us that have been dealing with old cars and trucks for a while have encountered before. That's the problem a lot of people have with your build.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Hi Kracin! Just to throw this out to you, once you remove the rust, you may want to consider using metal patches instead of fiberglass. You'd be surprised at how easy it can be
to work with this material. If I can do it with success, you can too. And down the road, you'll have that much more experience behind your belt. Just a thought. Cheers!

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

ANYTHING worth doing is worth doing RIGHT. nuf said. I was that military kid! I still have my 61 though....Not ready to start on it. I would have rather of had the truck the way it sits now and get the truck for a fair price. At least that way I could put my money to good use.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

heh, i think people failed to read the reason why i was using fiberglass... i cannot weld in patches, no access to a welder lol, if anyone has any suggestions to still be able to save money on DIY repairs without welding, be my guest :P but im am most certainly not going to jb-weld sheet metal onto the truck lol.



oh and if the admin wants, they can change the title to something more forum friendly lol.. thanks for the cautionary words though. and ill eliminate any suggestion that i planned to actually sell the truck once it was finished, so i dont cause any problems with people thinking im going to ship a truck for 4000 dollars to the mainland.... :)

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

I know you can pick up a gasless mig here pretty cheap but I don't know about there. It's not the best welding option but I thought I'd throw it out there:D

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

Exactly! That's what I was thinking. We read your post. Just thinking you might consider looking into getting a welder and the experience to go along with it. This truck is a PERFECT learning opportunity with a minimal financial investment. Just a thought.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

ok, for the third time lol, i live in an apartment, and they only allow you to weld at the auto shop if you have certifications to do so, i know how to weld, i just dont have anywhere to do it here, sorry guys heh.

Re: 69 Fleetside, Build and Sell!
 

It ain't about where you ship it - everyone that owns (or wants to own) a Chevy truck is a member of the board...whether they actually belong or not.

Two thoughts:

1. You're not likely to get anywhere near the money out of this thing that you're putting into it unless you run into a complete moron that doesn't look it over carefully. You're sure not going to get 12K from a "paint over sins" resto.

2. Even if you do find a moron that's willing to buy it, because of the type of "repairs" you're considering I find the ethics here pretty questionable. You may not see it this way, but us folks that helped people out when they've been screwed over by someone doing these same type of "repairs" when the paint flakes off and the fiberglass cracks see this as a pretty dirty deal...

IMHO, I'd just delete the thread - it's sure leaving a bad taste in my mouth :/